Chapter 350: Abyss Clan

"Just to be safe, we should also arrange for the Yuan Ying Refined Corpse."

While arranging the formation, Yunhe thought to himself:

The Corpse Soul Gu has now completed its metamorphosis, officially advancing to become a fourth-level natal Gu insect, which has caused Yunhe's control over this Yuan Ying Refined Corpse to rise sharply.

After all, a Yuan Ying Refined Corpse is not a true Yuan Ying Cultivator; although it can use magical treasures, it cannot possess a natal magical treasure.

However, after some tempering, the physical strength of a Yuan Ying Refined Corpse can actually rival that of a magical treasure.

But if we must speak frankly, a Yuan Ying Refined Corpse at most equals eighty percent of the strength of an ordinary Yuan Ying Cultivator.

But don't underestimate this eighty percent, for it is absolutely not something a Jie Dan Cultivator can match.

Previously, Yunhe could at most exert about sixty percent of this Yuan Ying Refined Corpse's power, but now he can at least exert ninety percent.

For a Yuan Ying Cultivator, this is already a considerable aid.

Furthermore,

Yunhe still has a way to continue raising the upper limit of this Yuan Ying Refined Corpse.

He waved his hand.

One after another, corpses with dull, vacant eyes but not weak aura appeared before him like wooden stakes, the leader of which was the Yuan Ying Refined Corpse.

These are all the corpses Yunhe has accumulated over the years; after being eroded by the Corpse Soul Gu and Corpse Gu, they are not much inferior to corpses refined by other demonic path cultivators.

Furthermore, strange and peculiar patterns are drawn on their bodies.

Solitary Offering Formation!

From the puppets of Floating Cloud Senior, Yunhe managed to glean some secrets of the Solitary Offering Formation, especially with the assistance of Shen Xingrui, a formation master whose attainment in formation arts also reached the Fourth Level Tier.

Of course, Yunhe has not yet fully mastered the complete Solitary Offering Formation; at least for now he cannot, like Floating Cloud Senior, use two fourth-level puppets as the formation's cores, mutually responding to each other.

But he can now make a Yuan Ying Refined Corpse the core of the formation.

One core versus two cores may seem only slightly different, but in reality a tiny error leads to a vast difference.

However, for him, it is sufficient for the time being.

If those dozens of Jie Dan Refined Corpses were all sacrificed, this Yuan Ying Refined Corpse could temporarily exert strength surpassing that of an ordinary early-stage Yuan Ying Cultivator.

Furthermore, combined with the formation Yunhe laid out, using the Yuan Ying Refined Corpse as the formation's 'killing star' can maximize the formation's power.

Afterward.

Yunhe held the "Floating Cloud Eight Trigrams Mirror" and, with practiced movements, continued to set up the formation.

At the same time, the Azure Lotus Daoist Crown on his head emitted a faint glow, and his aura began to plummet until it completely vanished.

While Yunhe was setting up the formation,

Ji Liuyun and the other two also, guided by the distress signal talisman, traced the whereabouts of the fleeing members of the Ghost Blade Sect.

They were hiding in a disordered forest of rocks.

They eventually met up successfully.

It went so smoothly that it exceeded everyone's expectations.

Although the Ghost Blade Sect, whose strength in the Demonic Path Sect was already respectable, now has fewer than ten members left, and its sect master, Blade-Repelling Old Ghost, is also seriously injured.

"Brother Feng, Brother Ji, Brother Lotus, I never expected that three fellow Daoists would come to render aid; I thank the three of you for willing to extend a helping hand!"

A burly middle-aged cultivator with knotted muscles but a pallid face, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, saw Ji Liuyun and the other two, clasped his hands, and sincerely expressed his gratitude.

This person is the Ghost Blade Sect's sect master, Blade-Repelling Old Ghost Han Bai, who is also an early-stage Yuan Ying Cultivator.

Without the protection of a Yuan Ying Cultivator, the Ghost Blade Sect would probably not even be able to keep these remaining people alive.

"Brother Han, as long as you're unharmed, that's good."

Feng Qingdan returned the salute, her beautiful eyes scanning the surviving cultivators beside him, finally settling on a young late-stage Jie Dan Cultivator with a handsome appearance and proper features, dressed in an elegant black robe.

Noticing her gaze, Han Bai obviously also knew an important reason for their rescue this time, and thus introduced:

"This is Fellow Daoist Xiao Wuxian."

"Many thanks, three seniors."

Xiao Wuxian's condition also appeared not very good; facing the three early-stage Yuan Ying Cultivators, he showed no arrogance relying on his father's background, but instead performed the salute quite humbly.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, there's no need for this; it is simply our duty as human cultivators."

As for Xiao Wuxian, Ji Liuyun and the other two also did not put on the airs of Yuan Ying Cultivators, and each politely returned the salute.

"This is not the place for pleasantries; we should leave quickly."

The Lotus Ancestor glanced around, furrowed his brows, and said:

All around, it was too quiet.

Although this place is not within the range of the Black Abyss Mist's expansion, it is not far away either; an inexplicable palpitation made her feel somewhat uneasy inside.

"That statement is quite reasonable."

Blade-Repelling Old Ghost Han Bai, who had witnessed the power of the Abyss Beasts and the Abyss Clan, responded without hesitation:

However.

"I'm afraid it's a bit late." Xiao Wuxian looked around and said in a low voice.

As his words fell,

Boom!!

A sudden roar erupted, and a tremendously terrifying spiritual energy surge burst forth.

Immediately afterward, figures wrapped in black robes appeared one after another, like ghostly phantoms suddenly materializing.

"Go!"

Seeing this, Ji Liuyun and the others' expressions changed drastically; they all mobilized their mana to employ evasion techniques, sweeping up the few Ghost Blade Sect members below before fleeing in the direction they had come from.

Blade-Repelling Old Ghost also gritted his teeth, sacrificed a pitch-black flying blade, pinched a seal, and fiercely slashed backward with a blade.

The ghostly qi entwined around the black blade instantly expanded, transforming into a huge, trembling blade that fell, wrapped in icy killing intent.

Even after finishing these, the Pi Dao Old Ghost didn't dare to linger for a moment; he surged with magical energy, dragging his exhausted body as he followed.

Translation: "Even after finishing these tasks, the Pi Dao Lao Gui dared not pause for a moment, summoning his mana to drag his weary body forward."

Even after finishing these, the Pi Dao Old Ghost didn't dare to pause even a moment.

Boom!!

Just "Boom!!"

He swung his blade down, kicking up clouds of dust.

"A blade fell, kicking up clouds of dust."

Though the strike appeared mighty, it seemed to have little impact on the black-robed figures.

"But though the strike looked mighty, it seemed to have little effect on those black-robed figures."

"High Priest?" a hoarse voice echoed from beneath one of the black robes.

"\"High Priest? \" a hoarse voice came from beneath one of the black robes."

"Pursue!"

"\"Pursue. \""

The escape of Ji Liuyun and his companions didn't seem to surprise their opponents.

"As for the escape of Ji Liuyun and the others, the other side seemed not surprised."

This was exactly the trap they had laid.

"This was exactly the trap they had set."

"Shhh!!"

"\"Shh!! \""

A strange whistle rang out.

"A strange whistle sounded."

A strange abyssal beast appeared nearby, and they promptly mounted it, giving chase to Ji Liuyun and his companions.

"One strange-looking Abyss Beast after another appeared not far away, and they without hesitation landed on its back, giving chase straight toward Ji Liuyun and the others."

Soon after, it became visible.

"Afterward, one could see."

As they fled and pursued, spells and treasures clashed incessantly.

"All the way of fleeing, all the way of pursuit, various spells and treasures collided, making constant noise."

Yunhe, seated cross-legged inside the formation, furrowed his brow, a faint light flickering in his eyes as he looked afar.

"Yunhe, sitting cross-legged within the formation, raised his brow, a faint light flickering in his eyes as he gazed into the distance."

He slowly stood up.

"He slowly rose to his feet."

"Are they here?"

"\"Have they come? \""

His divine sense swept outward, quickly detecting several figures rushing from a hundred li away.

"His divine sense swept out, and he quickly sensed several silhouettes hurrying from a hundred li away."

"Huh?"

"\"Huh? \""

Yunhe frowned, sensing something amiss.

"Yunhe couldn't help but frown, sensing some clues."

For some reason, as his divine sense swept over Ji Liuyun and his companions, his heart inexplicably fluttered.

"I don't know why, but when his divine sense swept over Ji Liuyun and the others, his heart inexplicably fluttered."

That's highly unusual.

"That's very abnormal."

Yunhe wasn't surprised that Ji Liuyun and his companions had managed to escape this far.

"That Ji Liuyun and the others could escape here, Yunhe was not surprised."

With the power of Nascent Soul cultivators, unless they were foolish enough to blindly enter the abyssal race's sealing formation, they could always get away; they aren't that stupid.

"With the power of Yuan Ying cultivators, unless they were truly foolish enough to recklessly enter the Abyss Clan's sealing formation, they could always escape; they're not that stupid."

Yet their state seemed a little too good.

"But their condition seemed too good."

They had only expended a lot of mana; aside from the somewhat weakened Blade-Drawing Old Ghost of the Ghost Blade Sect, the others were largely unharmed.

"Only a large consumption of mana; aside from the somewhat weakened Pi Dao Lao Gui of the Ghost Blade Sect, the others were hardly injured."

"Have I overthought it? This time the Ghost Blade Sect's plea for help isn't a trap laid by the abyssal race—they don't have enough forces for such a scheme—so it's just a simple rescue."

"\"Am I overthinking it? This Ghost Blade Sect's call for aid is not a trap set by the Abyss Clan; the Abyss Clan currently lacks the manpower to set such a trap, so perhaps it's just a pure rescue? \""

If so, that would indeed explain it.

"If that were the case, it would indeed explain things."

Yet Yunhe found it hard to believe.

"But Yunhe just couldn't quite believe it."

Such a tactic of surrounding a point to strike aid doesn't demand high intellect.

"The tactic of besieging a point to call for aid doesn't require great intelligence either."

But before he could think it over, signs of the abyssal race and their beasts appeared behind Ji Liuyun and his companions, capturing most of Yunhe's attention.

"However, before he could ponder further, traces of the Abyss Clan and Abyss Beasts appeared behind Ji Liuyun and the others, drawing most of Yunhe's attention."

"Fellow Daoist Yun!"

"\"Daoist Yun! \""

Feeling Yunhe's divine sense, Ji Liuyun and his companions had no time to marvel that his perception surpassed their expectations; this was the crucial moment.

"Feeling Yunhe's divine sense, Ji Liuyun and the others had no time to marvel that his divine sense exceeded their expectations; this was the most critical moment."

Yunhe, who had intended to send out all formations and Nascent Soul refining corpses, altered his plan as numerous thoughts flashed through his mind.

"And Yunhe, who had originally planned to send out all formations and Yuan Ying corpse refiners, changed his plan due to the many thoughts flashing through his mind."

He raised his hand to summon back the refining corpses positioned around him and the numerous banners.

"He raised his hand to recall the corpse refiners placed around and the numerous formation flags."

As his mana surged, he also transmitted a message to Ji Liuyun and his companions:

"As his mana surged, he also sent a mental transmission to Ji Liuyun and the others:"

"Quick!"

"\"Quick! \""

Hearing this, Ji Liuyun's Nascent Soul cultivators quickened their pace.

"Upon hearing this, the several Yuan Ying cultivators of Ji Liuyun actually increased their speed."

Once they had crossed a boundary, Yunhe unhesitatingly pinched with both hands, setting the Floating Cloud Eight Trigrams Disk in his hand into motion.

"After they crossed a boundary, Yunhe unhesitatingly pinched his fingers together, causing the \"Floating Cloud Eight Trigrams Disk\" in his hand to rotate."

A formation sprang into existence out of thin air!

"A formation sprang up out of nowhere!"

A fourth‑grade inferior formation, the Peak City Earthen Formation!

"A Fourth‑Grade inferior formation, the Peak Capital Thick Earth Formation!"

The formation's emergence successfully halted the abyssal race's pursuit of Ji Liuyun and his companions.

"The appearance of the formation successfully blocked the Abyss Clan's pursuit of Ji Liuyun and the others."

Seeing this, Ji Liuyun and his companions rejoiced, bowed to Yunhe, then without hesitation fled toward the Listening Fragrance Tower.

"Seeing this, Ji Liuyun and the others all showed great joy, bowed to Yunhe, then without hesitation fled toward the Listening Fragrance Tower."

According to the earlier rescue plan, after they passed Yunhe's rendezvous point, any pursuers would be blocked by Yunhe, who had laid the formation here.

"According to the previously discussed rescue plan, once they passed Yunhe's rendezvous point, if there were pursuers, Yunhe, who had set up the formation here, would block them."

Although the fourth‑grade inferior formation couldn't wholly stop the abyssal race, it could still hold them off for a short while.

"The Fourth‑Grade inferior formation, though insufficient to completely stop the Abyss Clan's advance, could still hinder them for a moment or two."

Standing behind the formation, Yunhe clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at the vast horde of abyssal race and beasts, and couldn't help but smile.

"Standing behind the formation with his hands clasped behind his back, Yunhe gazed at the vast throng of Abyss Clan and Abyss Beasts and couldn't help but smile."

"He actually has a hint of the aura of one man holding a pass against ten thousand."

"\"It does have a bit of the aura of one man holding the gate against ten thousand. \""

He fixed his gaze on each black‑robed abyssal figure.

"He fixed his gaze on each black‑robed Abyss Clan individual."

Though they concealed themselves in black robes, Yunhe's divine sense and vision made it easy to see their true form.

"Although they hid beneath black robes, with Yunhe's divine sense and eyesight, it was not hard to see their appearance clearly."

Like the sea race, the abyssal race is a humanoid alien species; at first glance they look just like human cultivators, except their skin is far paler, extremely white, as if they suffered from albinism.

"The Abyss Clan, like the Sea Clan, is a humanoid race; at first glance their appearance is no different from that of human cultivators, except their skin is much whiter, extremely white, as if they had albinism."

Furthermore, their eyes are a pale red, giving them an eerie appearance.

"Moreover, their eyes are a light red, looking rather eerie."

But the biggest difference from human cultivators is found on their foreheads.

"But the greatest difference from human cultivators lies in their foreheads."

Their foreheads are covered in patches of black scales, and two small black horns protrude from the front edges.

"They are covered with patches of various black scales, and two jet‑black small horns grow at the front ends of their foreheads."

"Is this the abyssal race?"

"\"Is this the Abyss Clan? \""

As Yunhe observed the abyssal folk, their leader likewise narrowed his eyes to study Yunhe.

"While Yunhe observed the Abyss Clan members, their leader likewise narrowed his eyes to observe Yunhe."

When their eyes met, the abyssal leader's face curled with a contemptuous smile.

"When their gazes met, the leader of the Abyss Clan showed a contemptuous smile."

"Just a lowly fourth‑grade inferior formation."

"\"Just a mere Fourth‑Grade inferior formation. \""

He waved his hand and called out, "Break it!"

"He waved his hand and lightly shouted, \"Break it! \""

"Yes!"

"\"Yes! \""

The abyssal cultivators, together with the abyssal beasts, all charged at Yunhe's Peak City Earthen Formation.

"The Abyss Clan cultivators, together with the Abyss Beasts, all surged forward to attack Yunhe's \"Peak Capital Thick Earth Formation\"."

Can the Abyss clan command the Abyss beasts?

This made Yunhe's heart sink slightly.

He had also witnessed the power of the Abyssal Beast.

As the Abyssal Tribe continually attacked the formation, Yunhe's 'Floating Cloud Eight Trigrams Mirror' trembled slightly, emitting a buzzing sound.

The fiercer the enemy's assault, the more obvious the Eight Trigrams Mirror's vibration became.

It was quite obvious.

Relying solely on a fourth‑level low‑grade formation, and without being able to rely on a spirit vein as its foundation, once the spiritual energy within the formation was exhausted, it would soon be breached.

If Yunhe remained to maintain the formation, perhaps he could hold out a bit longer.

But at this point, there was no longer any need.

As a responder, he had already done what he needed to do.

After roughly witnessing some of the Abyssal Tribe's abilities, Yunhe no longer lingered here.

Pfft!

A pair of snow‑white wings unfolded behind him; a light shake sent him fleeing toward the Listening Fragrance Tower at great speed.

Frosty snow drifted, a white rainbow pierced the sky.

Not long after Yunhe departed,

Crack! Crack! Crack!!

'Peak Capital Thick Earth Formation' shattered with a boom under the Abyssal Tribe's siege.

Gazing at the empty plain before them, the Abyssal Tribe's breaking of the great formation seemed somewhat useless.

But the leader of the Abyssal Tribe couldn't help but chuckle a few times.

'Human cultivators, that's all! Pursue!'

Boom! Rumble! Rumble!!

The Abyssal Tribe actually had no intention of retreating, continuing to pursue toward the Listening Fragrance Tower!

(End of Chapter)